Pomegranate? Scratch that buy your mom a bottle of Pama; have her drink the whole thing then make video of it. Should be fun to sell on Ebay... hmmm who will out bid your mom? I see serious possibilities here.

College fund? What's that? I worked two full times and a part to make it through. In retrospect I may have suffered a nervous breakdown for my trouble my Junior year. But it was worth it, every bone numbing bit of it. Heck my mom was making me pay rent that worked out to more than living in the dorms.

Pama & Chambourg were introduced to my better half... now I am no longer married to a cheap drunk.

To be serious and brutally honest alcohol is no longer really all that enjoyable to me. It's a cheaper alternative to pain killers. Self medication is not a reason for tieing one on. I would strongly suggets the young miss keep away from the evils of alcohol. Of course volunteered as a designated driver can be a LOT of fun; all sorts of blackmail material can be had.

You did college first, and then the military, if I've understood your posts? That is something to be quite proud of. Never knew a lot of people who did both, although many went into the military saying they were doing it to fund college...

Don't know what Pama and Chambourg are, at this point in my life, I don't feel compelled to find out, LOL!

Geez, I always thought pain-killers were a cheap altenative to alcohal, LOL! In serousness, I thank God for the insurance that paid for my pain meds and then the surgery and physical therapy that would let me get off them.

Thanks for that last paragraph, Johann. Remembering my own youth, I fear for every teenager alive today!

Despite having me for a mom, Young Miss seems to be an unusually sensible young woman. Will wonders never cease?

I'm pretty proud that I went into GI life w/ only about $7k in college debt and I can still find my name among the "staff" at a private university. Showed up w/ an honors scholorship & $800 in my pocket. It was a private Catholic school, few complaints over the quality of my education. IMO I had some of the finest History profs, bar none. I took a couple classes at the UW and still preferred my regular profs.

Frat or Sorority party every weekend (I was paid security/ self defense instructor for one)w/ a LOT of liquor courage. How I'm not dead I don't know. But I know this; Frats & Sororities are no place for anyone wanting to learn anything except how to be social w/ a better than average chance of leaving w/ a "social disease."

As to not eating. Day old loaf of French Bread $.69, 2 litre of Dr Pepper $1.50. Tinned meat like substance $.95. $3 a day. All the coffee I could drink at work. Bought a pallet of Ramen first month of my Sophmore year... it took me most of ten years before I could even look at packet of Ramen again. Painting minis got me extra bill or liquor money. That kind of life... I never want to do it again but I wouldn't trade that experiance for the world.

Now Joanie; Pama is a Pomegranate liquor... very light and tasty. My wife loves it... $26 a bottle.

Chambourg is a raspberry cognac too sweet for my taste but again the wife loves it... $28 a bottle.